A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to dental chairs and dental instrument delivery systems.
B. Related Art
Dental delivery systems typically include at least two stations: the dentist's instrument station and the assistant's instrument station. These stations are placed in a variety of positions around the dental patient chair depending on preference or factors related to the type of procedure being performed. For example, in some dental offices the dentist and the assistant will often sit facing each other, one on each side of the dental chair. The dentists equipment delivery stations is positioned at the dentists working hand (to the dentists right for a right handed dentist and to the dentists left for a left handed dentist) and in the direction of the foot of the patient chair. The assistant's station will be similarly positioned at the assistants working arm and in the direction of the head of the patient chair. In other dental offices, the dentist and the assistant will more often sit facing the patient, one on each side of the patient chair, with their respective stations in front of them positioned in the direction of the head of the patient chair. In yet other dental offices the dentist's instrument station is positioned over the patients lap and the assistants instrument station is positioned at the assistants working hand. In any event, depending on preference or other factors, the dentist and assistant may desire to place the stations in various positions relative to themselves and/or the patient.
In order to provide flexibility in positioning of the assistants station and the dentist's station, it is known in the art to provide the stations on a cabinet having wheels. While this solution is flexible, the cabinets take up space on the dental office floor and may get in the way of the dentist and assistant when not in use. It is also known in the art to provide the assistant's station on a pivoting arm extending from a cabinet behind the patient chair and the dentists station mounted on an pivoting arm connected to a structure which runs over and around the dental chair. While this solution also provides flexibility, it requires an additional structure and does not enable positioning of both stations along the entire ISO circle surrounding the patients mouth.
Thus a flexible dental delivery system is needed which can be easily installed, reconfigured and stored and which can accommodate a full range of positioning the two stations around the patient chair.